An evenly tamped shot requires the tamp to fit into its portafilter basket precisely. Each machine comes with its own tamp, so we were surprised to find that not all of them fit. Some were too small, leaving behind a crescent moon of untouched coffee. It’s possible to try and compress in sections, but you’ll run the risk of re-tamping some of the grounds and producing an unpalatable shot.
The Hamilton Beach 12-Cup BrewStation coffee maker offers convenient one-hand dispensing without a conventional glass carafe. There's no pouring or spills, and nothing fragile to break and replace. No matter how much you try, it’s impossible to get freshly brewed flavor from coffee that’s been sitting on a hot plate too long. That’s why the Hamilton Beach BrewStation was created, the only coffeemaker that keeps coffee tasting fresh for up to four hours. This best-selling coffee maker...
Now you can make authentic espressos, lattes and cappuccinos to suit your taste, in the comfort of your kitchen. Whatever your preference — single or double espresso, cappuccino or latte — the manual espresso machine brews authentic barista-quality beverages just like you enjoy at your favorite coffeehouse. With a manual espresso machine, you are guaranteed a true crema that’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor. Water and steam are heated separately thanks to the dual thermostat system, allowing crema to reach the ultimate consistency without scalding the coffee. For milk-based beverages, the manual frother mixes steam and milk to create a rich, creamy froth for evenly textured drinks — just the way you like them. Our patented three-in-one filter holders give you total control over your beverages and allow you to choose from one shot, two shot, or convenient espresso pods. The built-in tamper provides great flavor without the guesswork, and while the cappuccino systems may vary in method (one-touch automation for a semi-automatic model, versus an advanced manual frother for a traditional pump espresso machine), the results are consistently excellent. Don't like the idea of coffee grounds spilling everywhere, but still love the taste of fresh coffee? If you want all the convenience of an attached milk steamer and espresso maker, but less of the mess, we recommend the Nespresso range, with its convenient espresso pods, just as versatile as any of our other coffee machines. At De’Longhi, we’re proud of our manual espresso machines, and we hope you’ll be as enchanted by them as we are. Choose from a range of sleek, stylish designs, in black, red or stainless steel. Our machines are easy to use, easy to clean and easy to fill — exactly how they’re supposed to be.

We tested 12 models by making shots of espresso and lattes on each machine. We enlisted the help of an expert from Students of Coffee, a group of coffee educators and roasters at New York University, to judge for quality. The majority of the models we tested were semi-automatic, meaning brewers still have to grind the coffee and pack it in the portafilter (the little filter cup with a wand that you place in the front of the machine). Semi-automatic espresso machines heat the water for you, and then pump it through the grounds at varying levels of pressure, depending on the machine. The semi-automatic models we tester were:

The machine is super easy to use: just choose either a single or double shot, select your coffee grounds, fill the milk and water reservoir and choose your brew. The water reservoir is removable, allowing for easy fill-up in the sink. The Café Barista also boasts the fastest preparation time when compared to other Mr. Coffee espresso makers. And at less than $200, this model is WAY less expensive than some of its competitors, giving you a great bang for your buck.
Although it's very easy to use — you just fill the portafilter with grounds, attach it to the machine, and press the button to start — The Gaggia Classic isn't as flexible or intuitive as the Breville Barista Express. The user manual is less detailed, too, so you have to have a basic idea of what you're doing or browse the internet for tips. The machine has a one-year warranty if you run into problems.
An electric drip coffee maker can also be referred to as a dripolator. It normally works by admitting water from a cold water reservoir into a flexible hose in the base of the reservoir leading directly to a thin metal tube or heating chamber (usually, of aluminum), where a heating element surrounding the metal tube heats the water. The heated water moves through the machine using the thermosiphon principle. Thermally-induced pressure and the siphoning effect move the heated water through an insulated rubber or vinyl riser hose, into a spray head, and onto the ground coffee, which is contained in a brew basket mounted below the spray head. The coffee passes through a filter and drips down into the carafe. A one-way valve in the tubing prevents water from siphoning back into the reservoir. A thermostat attached to the heating element turns off the heating element as needed to prevent overheating the water in the metal tube (overheating would produce only steam in the supply hose), then turns back on when the water cools below a certain threshold. For a standard 10-12 cup drip coffeemaker, using a more powerful thermostatically-controlled heating element (in terms of wattage produced), can heat increased amounts of water more quickly using larger heating chambers, generally producing higher average water temperatures at the spray head over the entire brewing cycle. This process can be further improved by changing the aluminum construction of most heating chambers to a metal with superior heat transfer qualities, such as copper.
CR’s take: If you’re an aficionado of fresh ground coffee, this Black+Decker is the brewer to buy. As the name suggests, the Mill & Brew goes that extra mile, grinding whole coffee beans just before brewing. As a result, the machine is capable of making a great pot of coffee. Made of plastic with stainless steel accents, this model is easy to use and to clean, earning a Very Good rating in our convenience tests. It allows you to adjust brew strength, and it’s programmable, so you can set it to grind and brew just before you wake up.